Nectar #3 – By Fire and Blood

Just off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts, Misery Island finds itself infested by a swarm of butterflies. With the strange blood-sucking butterflies and their unique Nectar comes a unique desire to dance. As the infection spreads across the island, a battle between science and religion brews. Dr. Amos Hall seeks to understand what is causing the infection, while Pastor Grant blames Hall for inviting Satan onto the island. As Amos and Lillian try to figure out how to stop the infection, Pastor Grant beats the drum of salvation……..at the end of a shotgun barrel.

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Shawn!

Creative Team

Writer: Jeremy Robinson
Artists: Annapaola Martello and Francesco Francini
Color Artist: Steve Canon
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Cover Artist: Chris Shehan

Writing

Jeremy Robinson continues to stun with each issue of Nectar. The science vs religion argument really reached a fever pitch in this issue. While this is clearly an atmospheric horror-style story, it felt like Robinson really took it to another level with this issue. It feels infinitesimally darker than the previous two issues of Nectar.

This issue really felt like Robinson had something to say, and a megaphone was the best source to do it. Robinson leans into the setting of the story, crafting a new thread in the common Salem-related narratives in a way that feels unique. The result was an issue of Nectar that felt truly dark and horrifying while being narratively satisfying. With this being the penultimate issue of the series, I can’t wait to see how Robinson wraps everything up.

Art

As great as the story of Nectar has been, its the work of Annapaola Martello, Francesco Francini, Steve Canon, and Jim Campbell that brings Nectar to life. The art team perfectly captures the essence of the setting. Martello and Francini truly spare no detail with their line work. Whether it’s the collected strands of Pastor Grant’s hair or the threads on a simple piece of rope anchoring a boat to a tree, every line feels purposeful and deliberate.

Steve Canon really shines in this issue. His continued use of a more dour and muted palette really allows a significant impact when those pops of color appear. While the palette has made the butterflies the stars of the show in the previous two issues, other action takes center stage with fire, blood, and even gore jumping off the page through Canon’s coloring. Letterer Jim Campbell does a spectacular job with SFX as well as moving the story forward with easy-to-follow word bubbles.

Final Thoughts

What a breathtaking issue Nectar #3 was. This series has been simply phenomenal. Robinson takes historical events and weaves pieces of them through a new and creative narrative that adds a creative touch to horror comics. I find myself genuinely sad that this is the penultimate issue of Nectar. I would read so many more issues of this comic series. The art team ironically breathes life into this story about death in a way that really shows their abilities and talent.

Overall Grade: 10/10

What do you think about Nectar? Let me know in the comments